Now Hear This!

At Kadesh, fear of the future led Israel to forget how faithfully God had guided them. “They left God out of the question, and acted as though they must depend solely on the power of arms.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 388. “In their unbelief they limited the power of God and distrusted the hand that had hitherto safely guided them. And they repeated their former error of murmuring against Moses and Aaron.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 388.

Their complaints against Moses and Aaron revealed a deeper distrust of God's promises. “Thus they accused not only Moses, but God Himself, of deception, in promising them a land which they were not able to possess.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 389. “And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?” (Numbers 14:11)

Even after judgment came, the people failed to recognise the sin that had brought it upon them. “Had they mourned for their sin when it was faithfully laid before them, this sentence would not have been pronounced; but they mourned for the judgment; their sorrow was not repentance, and could not secure a reversing of their sentence.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 392. “While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” (Hebrews 3:15)

When God corrects you, seek a changed heart rather than simply relief from the consequences.

King Jehoiakim thought he could silence God's warning by destroying the scroll on which it was written. “Only a small portion had been read, when the king, far from trembling at the danger hanging over himself and his people, seized the roll and in a frenzy of rage ‘cut it with the penknife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed.’”—Prophets and Kings, p. 433.

Yet the message had been given in mercy, offering Judah an opportunity to turn from sin. “In bringing to the attention of the temple worshipers, and of the princes and king, the written admonitions contained in the inspired roll, God was graciously seeking to warn the men of Judah for their good.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 435. “It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” (Jeremiah 36:3)

Destroying the written words could not remove the truth they contained or prevent God's purposes from being fulfilled. “The burning of the roll was not the end of the matter. The written words were more easily disposed of than the reproof and warning they contained and the swift-coming punishment God had pronounced against rebellious Israel.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 436. “The wrath of man had sought to prevent the labors of the prophet of God; but the very means by which Jehoiakim had endeavored to limit the influence of the servant of Jehovah, gave further opportunity for making plain the divine requirements.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 437. “Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.” (Jeremiah 36:32)

When God's Word challenges your choices, receive its correction rather than trying to put it out of mind.

Judah's history shows how patiently God called His people to return to Him before judgment came. “With more than a father's pitying love for the son of his care, God had ‘sent to them by His messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling place.’”—The Great Controversy, p. 19. “And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” (2 Chronicles 36:15–16)

God's warnings were an expression of His compassion, even when the people found them unwelcome. “God's plan is not to send messengers who will please and flatter sinners; He delivers no messages of peace to lull the unsanctified into carnal security.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 435. “And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.” (1 Kings 22:8)

The desire to hear only pleasant messages has repeatedly led people to reject needed correction. “From age to age the warnings which God has sent to the world by His servants have been received with like incredulity and unbelief.”—The Great Controversy, p. 337. “The gracious opportunity proffered them at the time of the burning of the sacred roll, was their last.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 435. “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” (Proverbs 29:1)

Take God's warnings seriously today, while there is still opportunity to listen, repent and change.

Jesus exposed the contradiction between honouring God's messengers from the past and rejecting His voice in the present. “To show their esteem for the dead prophets, the Jews were very zealous in beautifying their tombs; but they did not profit by their teachings, nor give heed to their reproofs.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 617. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37)

The same danger remains wherever admiration for faithful people takes the place of following their example. “Many follow in the track of the Pharisees. They revere those who have died for their faith. They wonder at the blindness of the Jews in rejecting Christ.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 618. “But when obedience to God requires self-denial and humiliation, these very persons stifle their convictions, and refuse obedience. Thus they manifest the same spirit as did the Pharisees whom Christ condemned.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 618. “And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.” (Ezekiel 33:32)

Hearing truth and appreciating it are no substitute for obedience. “These warnings were despised and rejected in Christ's day by the self-righteous Pharisees, who claimed that they needed no such reproof and were unjustly dealt with. They would not receive the word of the Lord through His servants because it did not please their inclinations.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 689.

Ask yourself whether the truths you gladly hear are also shaping the decisions you make each day.

God preserved the experiences of Israel so that later generations could learn from their victories and failures. “The history of ancient Israel is written for our benefit.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 162. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)

These accounts invite us to examine our own attitudes rather than assume we would have acted differently. “How often we misinterpret God's blessings, and flatter ourselves that we are favored on account of some goodness in us!”—The Desire of Ages, p. 106. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

The greatest danger comes when confidence in ourselves makes us unwilling to accept correction. “If we surrender to God we shall choose the light and reject the darkness. If we desire to maintain the independence of the natural heart, and refuse the correction of God, we shall, as did the Jews, stubbornly carry out our purposes and our ideas in the face of the plainest evidence”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 230. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

Read these accounts with humility, allowing God's Word to correct your thinking and strengthen your hope.

The week's accounts leave us with a personal question: how will we respond when God speaks? “Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” (2 Chronicles 20:20)

Faith calls for trust in God's Word, even when we cannot understand everything fully. “God gives sufficient evidence for the candid mind to believe; but he who turns from the weight of evidence because there are a few things which he cannot make plain to his finite understanding will be left in the cold, chilling atmosphere of unbelief and questioning doubts, and will make shipwreck of faith.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 232. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)

Receiving God's message involves more than agreeing with what we hear. “But the Hand that humbles to the dust, rebukes sin, and puts pride and ambition to shame, is the Hand that lifts up the penitent, stricken one.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 435.

As you look back over this week's study, choose one truth you have heard and put it into practice today.

The Notes for each day are our own study notes, drawn from the Bible and the writings of Ellen White. We show the lesson's questions and Bible references here. The full lesson is available from its publisher through the link below.